Packaging



July 14, 1942. A. D. LARSON PACKAGING Filed Oct. 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, flame/0D la/zso/z July 14, 1942 A. D. LARSON 2,290,104

PACKAGING Filed 001:. 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jjnczhewfl Lwzso/z Patented July 14, 1942 PACKAGING Andrew D. Larson, Maywood, 111., assignor to A. Stein & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 23, 1940, Serial No. 362,315

3 Claims. (01. 206-44) This invention relates to improvements in packaging and it has particular reference to the packaging of articles of merchandise in such a way that th merchandise, although fully enclosed and protected, is nevertheless visible and available for examination.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a packaging arrangement adaptable to a Wide variety of articles and wherein the packaged merchandise is normally fully enclosed and thus protected but wherein the package may be opened Without destruction, so as to permit closer inspection and examination of the merchandise; to provide packaging of th character indicated which will facilitate mounting of the merchandise to be packaged in the container and repeated removal and replacement of the merchandise without destruction of the container structure; to provide packaging of the character indicated which will be inexpensive to produce but of attractive appearance so as to aid in the selling of the packaged merchandise; and in general, it is the object of the invention to provide improved packaging of the character indicated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (2 sheets) wherein there is illustrated packaging embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawings:

(only one end portion of the blank being shown). The blank preferably comprises a suitable paper board member I4 and a lamination I of suitable transparent sheeting such as Cellophane. The

. paper board body member I I is provided with an opening IS, the ends I! of which are preferably spaced somewhat from the respective ends of th cover and th sides I8 of which are disposed within the normal area of the side Wall forming portions of the blank. The transparent sheeting I5 extends over the entir surface of the from the opposite ends of which extend end wall blank and over the opening l6 therein, so that when the blank is formed into a box-like cover part the opening [6 constitutes a closed window 1a in the cover.

As indicated in Figure 2, the blank is provided with side wall forming portions I9 and 20 from the ends of which extend end wall forming flaps led and 29a. Intermediate the side wall forming portions I9 and 20 is a top wall portion 2| forming parts Ma. The various wall forming parts mentioned are adapted to be folded as indicated in Figure 3 to form a rectangular openbottom cover member. In this instance the side wall parts I9 and 20 are provided with foldable Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating the improved packaging partially opened;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan of a blank employed in forming one part of the container;

Fig. 3 is a perspective illustrating the manipulation of the blank of Fig. 2 to form one part of the container;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the complete package;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig, 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan of one portion of the improved package having an article of merchandise disposed therein; and

Figs 7 and 8 are perspectives illustrating parts of the improved packaging structure.

In the drawings and solely for purposes of il- 1ustration, the improved packaging structure is illustrated as employed for packaging belts such as mens trousers belts.

The structure includes a cover part I0, a tray part II, and an article holding band I2. An article of merchandise such as a belt indicated at I3 is disposed in the tray H and held in fixed position therein by means of the band I2. The cover part III fits over the belt and telescopically within the side walls of the tray II to form the completed package as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The cover part III is formed from a blank of substantially th form illustrated in Figure 2 extensions I92) and 20b and the end wall part 2 la with a foldable extension 2lb. As best shown in Figure 3, the said extensions I91), 201) and 2 II) are adapted to be folded upwardly and inwardly on the inside of the cover member to strengthen 1 condition.

The described cover construction may be recthat the cover may be received from the box manufacturer in collapsed blank form as shown in Figure 2 wherein a substantial supply of the same may be stored in a much smaller amount of space than would be required for a corresponding number of boxes of the same proportions as the folding boxes.

. The bottom or tray part I I is or relatively shal-' low depth and may conveniently be in the form of a set up box of conventional construction. The bottom wall 24 of the tray I I is provided with a suitably located opening which in this instance is shown as having relatively elongated side portions 25 and, a relatively narrow connecting median portion 26. The opening thus provided in the bottom wall of the tray is adapted to facilitate the assembling with the tray of the band I2.

The band I 2 is an inexpensive paper board member having side walls 21, 21, a top part or strap 28, and a bottom 29 formed, in this instance, of overlapping foldable extensions of the respective side members 21, 2'1. The over lapping extensions forming the two-ply bottom 29 are preferably permanently united by adhesive, staples, or other wise. When the band I2 is in operative condition it is of substantially rectangular form. For storage and transportation purposes, the band may, however, be collapsed to flat tubular form as will be readily apparent by inspection of Figure 8.

The bottom wall 29 of the band l2 approximately coincides in length with the length of the side portions 25, 25 of the opening in the bottom wall 24 of the tray, The dimension of the top part 28 of the band between its opposite free edges is preferably somewhat greater than the narrow width of the median portion 26 of the opening in the tray bottom, The band may, however, be assembled with the tray by relative endwise movement of the band and tray to cause the top part 28 of the band to pass upwardly from beneath the tray through the narrow median portion 26 of the opening in the bottom of the tray. When the entire top part 23 of the band has been passed through the opening portion 26, the band may be moved vertically upwardly to its operative position as illustrated in Figures 4 and 6.

The length of the side portions 25 of the opening substantially corresponds to the dimension of the side parts 27 of the band at its bottom, so that the band is thereby automatically positioned longitudinally of the tray by the interfitting relationship of the said side portions 21 of the band in the side portions 25 of the opening.

In the packaging of a belt or other merchandise in the-described package, the belt or the like is folded upon itself to a length which will fit within the package. In its folded condition, the belt may be squeezed together sumciently to permit its free passage through the band I2, the band being then in place in the tray. When the belt has been slipped through the band to the desired extent, it may be released and its inherent tendency to expand causes it to engage the top part 28 of the band and to lift the band so as to cause its bottom part 29 to be held in engagement with the then overlying tongue-like portions 33 of the tray bottom. The set up cover may then be positioned within the tray to complete the package as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

It will be apparent that the merchandise packaged within the container is readily visible through the window opening in the cover part of the package. Furthermore, in the event that the prospective customer wants to examine the article more closely, the cover may be removed, thereby still further exposing the packaged merchandise and permitting the prospective customer to inspect the quality or other characteristics of the same. Also, the packaged article may be completely removed from the tray to permit more thorough examination by the simple expedient of compressing the article so that it will move freely through the band and then withdrawing the article in an endwise direction. It is not necessary to break the band and hence the article may be easily replaced in its original packaged condition in the manner already indicated.

The described independent relationship of the band l2 and tray H is preferable and somewhat advantageous. However, it will be apparent that instead of assembling the band with the tray in the manner explained, the band may simply be adhesively or otherwise secured to the tray on the inside thereof. In such an arrangement, it would be preferable that the side parts 21, 21 of the band be provided with suitable fold lines which would permit the side parts to be collapsed in the manner of an accordion fold, to thereby permit collapsing of the band to within the depth of the tray.

Various other changes and modifications of the described packaging may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible, consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a tray, and a band adapted to encircle a portion of the tray and merchandise positioned over said tray portion, said band having a bottom part of greater width than its top part, and the tray being provided with an opening of sufiicient Width to permit passage of the top part of said band upwardly therethrough but of insufiicient width to permit said bottom part to pass therethrough, whereby said band is anchored against upward displacement from the tray and enabled to hold merchandise thereon.

2. A package comprising a tray, and a band adapted to encircle a portion of the tray and merchandise positioned over said tray portion, said band having sides and a bottom part of greater width than its top part, and the tray being provided with an opening of sufiicient width and of such shape as to permit passage of the top part and sides of said band upwardly therethrough but of insufficient width to permit said bottom part to pass therethrough, whereby said band is anchored against upward displacement from the tray and enabled to hold merchandise thereon, said wide side parts being connected to the bottom part and serving to reinforce said bottom part against such bending as would permit the bottom part to be forced through said opening.

3. A package comprising a tray, and a band adapted to encircle a portion of the tray and merchandise positioned over said tray portion, said band having sides and a bottom part of greater width than its top part, and the tray bein provided with an opening embodying elongated side portions and a portion extending transversely of and connecting said side portions intermediate their ends, said side portions being of sufficient length to accommodate the sides of said band, and said connecting portion being of suflicient width to permit passage of the top part of said band upwardly therethrough but of insufficient width to permit said bottom part to pass therethrough, whereby said band is anchored against upward displacement from the tray and enabled to hold merchandise thereon, said wide side parts being connected to the bottom part and serving to reinforce said bottom part against such bending as would permit the bottom part to be forced through said connecting portion of the opening.

ANDREW D. LARSON. 

